^^■>i'~<y^.'^^Y-<v^■■■^■>^ '<■'■■■ 


^^^m 


s^s^^m. 


Harriet  Hammond  McCormick 


IN   MEMORIAM 


Harriet  Hammond  McCormick 


Entered  the  Earthly  Life 
December  21,  1862 

Entered  the  Heavenly  Life 
January  17,  192 1 


■"  3  3  ) ,  J  >  J , 


'  o  •  o     •*l  > 


»    J  J 


Privately  Printed 


.«  •     •  «  • 


C^   I    -* 


M\37Jj3 


THE  SERVICES 


January  Nineteenth 


At  the  home 

At  the  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church 

At  Graceland  Cemetery 


The  Reverend  James  G.  K.  McClure 

President  of  McCormick  Theological  Seminary 

The  Reverend  James  S.  Stone 

Rector  of  St.  James's  Episcopal  Church 

The  Reverend  John  Timothy  Stone 
Pastor  of  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church 


The  scripture 

We  took  sweet  counsel  together,  and  walked 
unto  the  house  of  God  in  company. 

The  righteous  shall  be  in  everlasting  remem- 
brance. 

They  shall  be  Mine,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  in 
that  day  when  I  make  up  My  jewels. 

CO     ro     c^ 

And  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth:  for 
the  first  heaven  and  the  first  earth  were  passed 
away;  and  there  was  no  more  sea.  And  I  heard  a 
great  voice  out  of  heaven  saying,  Behold,  the  tab- 
ernacle of  God  is  with  men,  and  He  will  dwell  with 
them,  and  they  shall  be  His  people.  And  God  shall 
wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes;  and  there  shall 
be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying, 
neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain:  for  the  former 
things  are  passed  away. 

And  He  shewed  me  a  pure  river  of  water  of  life, 
clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God 
and  of  the  Lamb.  In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it, 
and  on  either  side  ot  the  river,  was  there  the  tree 
of  life:  and  the  leaves  of  the  tree  were  for  the  heal- 
ing of  the  nations.    And  there  shall  be  no  night 


there;  and  they  need  no  candle,  neither  light  of  the 
sun;  for  the  Lord  God  giveth  them  light:  and  they 
shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever. 

CO      CO      c^ 

Now  is  Christ  risen  from  the  dead,  and  become 
the  firstfruits  of  them  that  slept.  For  since  by 
man  came  death,  by  man  came  also  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead.  For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so 
in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.  And  as  we  have 
borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also  bear 
the  image  of  the  heavenly.  Behold,  I  shew  you  a 
mystery;  We  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall  all  be 
changed,  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye: 
for  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be 
raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be  changed.  For 
this  corruptible  must  put  on  incorruption,  and  this 
mortal  must  put  on  immortality.  Then  shall  be 
brought  to  pass  the  saying  that  is  written,  Death 
is  swallowed  up  in  victory.  O  death,  where  is  thy 
sting?  O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory?  Thanks  be 
to  God,  which  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Therefore,  my  beloved  brethren, 
be  ye  stedfast,  unmoveable,  always  abounding  in  the 
work  of  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  your 
labour  is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 

CO       CO       CO 

Behold,  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath 


bestowed  upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the 
sons  of  God:  therefore  the  world  knoweth  us  not, 
because  it  knew  Him  not.  Beloved,  now  are  we  the 
sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we 
shall  be:  but  we  know  that,  when  He  shall  appear, 
we  shall  be  like  Him;  for  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is. 
And  every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him  purifieth 
himself,  even  as  He  is  pure. 

CO     c^     <r^ 

Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace,  whose  mind 
is   stayed  on   Thee:   because   he   trusteth   in  Thee. 

CO       (TO       CO 

Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled:  ye  believe  in 
God,  believe  also  in  Me.  In  My  Father's  house  are 
many  mansions:  if  it  were  not  so,  I  would  have  told 
you.  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you.  And  if  I  go 
and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again,  and 
receive  you  unto  Myself;  that  where  I  am,  there  ye 
may  be  also.  I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the 
life.  Peace  I  leave  with  you.  My  peace  I  give  unto 
you:  not  as  the  world  giveth,  give  I  unto  you.  Let 
not  your  heart  be  troubled,  neither  let  it  be  afraid. 

CO      CO       CO 

Though  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  and  of 
angels,  and  have  not  love,  I  am  become  as  sound- 
ing brass,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal.    And  though  I  have 


the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  understand  all  mysteries, 
and  all  knowledge;  and  though  I  have  all  faith,  so 
that  I  could  remove  mountains,  and  have  not  love, 
I  am  nothing.  And  though  I  bestow  all  my  goods 
to  feed  the  poor,  and  have  not  love,  it  profiteth  me 
nothing.  Love  suffereth  long,  and  is  kind;  love 
envieth  not;  love  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  puffed 
up,  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly,  seeketh  not 
her  own,  is  not  easily  provoked,  thinketh  no  evil; 
rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth; 
beareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all 
things,  endureth  all  things.  Love  never  faileth:  but 
whether  there  be  prophecies,  they  shall  fail;  whether 
there  be  tongues,  they  shall  cease;  whether  there  be 
knowledge,  it  shall  vanish  away.  For  now  we  see 
through  a  glass,  darkly;  but  then  face  to  face:  now 
I  know  in  part;  but  then  shall  I  know  even  as  also 
I  am  known.  And  now  abideth  faith,  hope,  love, 
these  three;  but  the  greatest  of  these  is  love. 

(TO       rO       (TO 

Who  can  find  a  virtuous  woman?  for  her  price 
is  far  above  rubies.  She  stretcheth  out  her  hand 
to  the  poor;  yea,  she  reacheth  forth  her  hands 
to  the  needy.  Strength  and  honour  are  her  cloth- 
ing; and  she  shall  rejoice  in  time  to  come.  She 
openeth  her  mouth  with  wisdom;  and  in  her  tongue 
is   the  law  of  kindness.     She  looketh  well   to  the 


ways  of  her  household,  and  eateth  not  the  bread 
of  idleness.  Her  children  arise  up,  and  call  her 
blessed;  her  husband  also,  and  he  praiseth  her. 
Many  daughters  have  done  virtuously,  but  thou 
excellest  them  all.  A  woman  that  feareth  the  Lord, 
she  shall  be  praised.  Give  her  of  the  fruit  of  her 
hands;  and  let  her  own  works  praise  her  in  the  gates. 

ro     CO     CO 

The  disciples  came  unto  Jesus,  saying,  Who  is  the 
greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven?  And  Jesus  called 
a  little  child  unto  Him,  and  set  him  in  the  midst  of 
them,  and  said.  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Except  ye  be 
converted,  and  become  as  little  children,  ye  shall 
not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Whosoever 
therefore  shall  humble  himself  as  this  little  child, 
the  same  is  greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  Me,  and  for- 
bid them  not:  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God. 

CO      CO       CO 

The  Lord  is  my  shepherd;  I  shall  not  want. 
He  maketh  me  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures:  He 
leadeth  me  beside  the  still  waters.  He  restoreth 
my  soul:  He  leadeth  me  in  the  paths  of  righteous- 
ness for  His  name's  sake.  Yea,  though  I  walk 
through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will 
fear  no  evil:  for  Thou  art  with  me;  Thy  rod  and 


Thy  staff  they  comfort  me.  Thou  preparest  a  table 
before  me  in  the  presence  of  mine  enemies:  Thou 
anointest  my  head  with  oil;  my  cup  runneth  over. 
Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow  me  all  the 
days  of  my  life:  and  I  will  dwell  in  the  house  of 
the  Lord  for  ever. 

r^     (TO     (TO 

I  am  the  Resurrection,  and  the  Life,  saith  the 
Lord:  he  that  believeth  in  Me,  though  he  were 
dead,  yet  shall  he  live:  and  whosoever  liveth  and 
believeth  in  Me  shall  never  die. 

I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  He 
shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth:  Whom 
I  shall  see  for  myself,  and  mine  eyes  shall  behold. 

We  brought  nothing  into  this  world,  and  it  is 
certain  we  can  carry  nothing  out.  The  Lord  gave, 
and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away;  blessed  be  the 
name  of  the  Lord. 


The  Hymns 


My  God  and  Father,  while  I  stray- 
Far  from  my  home,  on  life's  rough  way, 
Oh,  teach  me  from  my  heart  to  say, 
"Thy  will  be  done." 

Though  dark  my  path,  and  sad  my  lot, 
Let  me  be  still  and  murmur  not. 
Or  breathe  the  prayer  divinely  taught, 
"Thy  will  be  done." 

If  Thou  shouldst  call  me  to  resign 
What  most  I  prize,  it  ne'er  was  mine; 
I  only  yield  Thee  what  is  Thine: 
"Thy  will  be  done." 

Renew  my  will  from  day  to  day. 
Blend  it  with  Thine,  and  take  away 
All  that  now  makes  it  hard  to  say, 
"Thy  will  be  done." 

Then,  when  on  earth  I  breathe  no  more 
The  prayer  oft  mixed  with  tears  before, 
I'll  sing  upon  a  happier  shore, 
"Thy  will  be  done." 


When  troubles,  sorrows  surge  and  crowd  about  thee, 

Put  all  thy  trust  in  God  so  heavenly. 

When  tribulations  endless  bear  thee  down. 

Look  to  the  Lord  and  Jesus  Christ  His  Son. 

Man  is  but  dust  and  soon  to  dust  again 

He  will  return;  but  see  his  Master  then. 

Oh,  life  is  but  like  a  day; 

Therefore  be  happy  all  the  way. 

God  has  a  reason  for  trials  and  tribulations; 

He  does  ordain  the  strife  'twixt  nations. 

Why  He  does  this  we  cannot  know. 

"Thy  will  be  done!"     May  we  e'er  say  it  so. 

— Composed  by  Elizabeth  McCormick  at  the  age  oj  twelve 
to  be  sung  to  Mendelssohn's  ^'Consolation" 


Hark!  hark,  my  soul!  Angelic  songs  are  swelling 
O'er  earth's  green  fields,  and  ocean's  wave-beat 
shore; 

How  sweet  the  truth  those  blessed  strains  are  telling 
Of  that  new  life  when  sin  shall  be  no  more. 

Angels  of  Jesus,  angels  of  light, 

Singing  to  welcome  the  pilgrims  of  the  night! 

Onward  we  go,  for  still  we  hear  them  singing, 
"Come,  weary  souls,  for  Jesus  bids  you  come"; 

And  through  the  dark,  its  echoes  sweetly  ringing, 
The  music  of  the  gospel  leads  us  home. 

Far,  far  away,  like  bells  at  evening  pealing, 
The  voice  of  Jesus  sounds  o'er  land  and  sea; 

And  laden  souls,  by  thousands  meekly  stealing, 
Kind  Shepherd,  turn  their  weary  steps  to  Thee. 

Rest  comes  at  length,  though  life  be  long  and  dreary, 
The  day  must  dawn,  and  darksome  night  be  past; 

Faith's  journeys  end  in  welcome  to  the  weary. 
And  heaven,  the  heart's  true  home,  will  come  at  last. 

Angels,  sing  on!  your  faithful  watches  keeping; 

Sing  us  sweet  fragments  of  the  songs  above; 
Till  morning's  joy  shall  end  the  night  of  weeping. 

And  life's  long  shadows  break  in  cloudless  love. 

Angels  of  Jesus,  angels  of  light. 

Singing  to  welcome  the  pilgrims  of  the  night! 


The  Prayers 

Our  loving  Heavenly  Father,  Thy  presence  we 
understand  when  we  see  Thee  in  the  mystery  of 
Thy  victory  over  death.  Thou  hast  brought  life 
and  immortality  to  light  through  the  gospel.  We 
pray  that  Thou  wilt  be  graciously  near  to  these 
friends  as  they  part  from  the  form  in  which  their 
loved  one  dwelt.  May  they  always  find  this  house 
radiant  and  beautiful  with  her  spiritual  presence, 
and  with  the  light  and  peace  of  the  Spirit  of  God- 
Amen. 

CO     (TO     ro 

In  January,  1905,  Elizabeth  McCormick,  loving, 
lovable,  and  loved,  passed  into  heaven,  whither  the 
mother  heart  has  now  followed  her,  there  to  abide. 
This  prayer,  which  was  offered  at  Elizabeth's 
funeral,  we  now  repeat: 

We  seem  to  give  her  back  to  Thee,  dear 
God,  who  gave  her  to  us;  yet  as  Thou  didst 
not  lose  her  in  giving,  so  we  have  not  lost  her 
by  her  return.  Not  as  the  world  giveth,  givest 
Thou,  O  Lover  of  Israel.  What  Thou  givest 
Thou  takest  not  away,  for  what  is  Thine  is  ours 


always,  for  we  are  Thine.  And  life  is  eternal;  and 
love  is  immortal;  and  death  is  only  a  horizon; 
and  the  horizon  is  nothing  save  the  limit  of 
our  sight.  Lift  us  up,  strong  Son  of  God,  that 
we  may  see  further;  cleanse  our  eyes  that  we 
may  see  more  clearly;  draw  us  closer  to  Thee 
that  we  may  know  ourselves  nearer  to  our 
beloved,  who  is  with  Thee;  and  while  Thou  dost 
prepare  a  place  for  us,  prepare  us  for  the  happy 
place,  that  where  she  is  and  Thou  art,  we 
may  be.     Amen. 

CO     c^     c^ 

O  Thou  who  art  the  Father  of  our  hearts,  we  are 
all  one  today  in  common  sorrow,  for  out  of  our 
life  has  gone  a  presence  of  wondrous  strength, 
wondrous  cheer,  and  wondrous  blessing.  We  are 
all  one  before  Thee  in  common  reverence,  for  we 
acknowledge  that  Thy  ways  are  past  finding  out. 
We  are  all  one  in  our  common  sympathy  each 
for  the  other,  and  for  those  to  whom  this  loss  is 
the  most  crushing  and  severe.  We  are  all  one 
in  our  common  faith,  for  we  believe  in  Thee  and 
hold  fast  to  Thee  for  grace  and  cheer.  And  we 
are  all  one  in  our  common  hope,  which  hope  we 
have  as  an  anchor  of  the  soul,  both  sure  and 
steadfast,  for  beyond  the  horizon  of  time  we 
know  there  is  the  life  of  immortality. 


We  give  Thee  thanks  for  this  oneness.  Diver- 
sified as  we  are,  representing  so  many  different 
phases  of  activity,  we  are  grateful  that,  because 
of  the  greatness  of  the  love  we  cherished,  there  can 
be  an  hour  when  every  heart  is  tender.  We  give 
Thee  thanks  that  in  our  inmost  being  there  is  a 
desire  to  bow  before  Thee,  as  the  One  who 
dost  order  all  the  events  of  our  lives,  and  dost  order 
them  in  wisdom  and  in  goodness.  And  we  give  Thee 
thanks  that  our  Christian  hope  does  not  fail  us,  but 
is  clear  and  strong  in  the  midst  of  our  grief. 

We  look  to  Thee  as  the  Giver  of  all  our  joys. 
It  was  from  Thee  that  this  dear  life  came  into  our 
world,  and  grew,  in  beauty  and  in  charm,  into  wom- 
anhood; entered  into  sacred  marriage;  knew  the 
joys  of  motherhood;  and  developed  into  large  pur- 
pose and  usefulness  in  human  activities,  becoming 
so  rich,  so  outgiving,  so  uplifting. 

We  bless  Thy  name  for  all  the  care  that  this 
beloved  one  extended  to  suffering  children;  for  her 
unceasing  interest  in  everything  that  pertained  to 
their  health  of  body  and  development  of  mind;  for 
her  helpfulness  to  all  young  people  as  they  advanced 
into  the  temptations  and  possibilities  of  their  de- 
velopment. We  thank  Thee  for  her  devotion  to 
everything  that  pertained  to  social  betterment;  for 
her  consecration  to  the  welfare  of  the  community. 


of  the  nation,  and  of  the  world.  We  bless  Thee 
that  the  hidden  sources  of  her  life  were  in  the  Church 
of  God,  in  which  and  through  which  she  exercised 
so  wide  an  influence  of  beneficence.  We  bless  Thee, 
too,  for  the  love  she  gave  to  innumerable  friends 
who  were  bound  to  her  by  ties  that  can  never  be 
sundered.  And  we  thank  Thee  that  her  home  was 
to  her  her  supreme  sphere  of  usefulness,  so  that  in 
her  home  she  was  always  the  animating  and  sancti- 
fying presence. 

And  now,  O  God,  in  this  hour  so  quiet  and  so 
tender,  this  great  company  of  people,  varied  in  their 
places  and  conditions  of  life,  all  bow  before  Thee 
to  enter  upon  a  new  consecration.  Henceforth,  may 
it  be  our  purpose  to  live  by  the  motives  which 
actuated  her.  Grant,  O  God,  that  the  sources  of 
our  words  and  deeds  may  be,  like  hers,  unselfish 
and  genuine;  that  a  high  sense  of  duty  may  domi- 
nate us;  that  without  envy  or  self-thought  we  may 
seek  the  good  of  others,  rather  than  our  own. 
Grant  to  us,  also,  that  there  may  come,  through 
Thine  indwelling  grace,  her  quietness  of  mind,  her 
balance  of  judgment,  her  fair  and  honest  con- 
sideration of  every  subject  that  makes  its  appeal  to 
our  thought.  Grant  that  we  may  stand  by  every 
worthy  cause,  encouraging  its  workers;  that  we 
may    be  dependable   when   we   promise   and  when 


we  undertake;  that  we  may  make  our  possessions 
our  servants  rather  than  suffer  them  to  be  our  mas- 
ters; that  we  may  search  out  those  who  are  in 
sorrow,  or  in  need,  or  in  loneliness,  and  minister 
unto  them,  so  that  they  shall  bless  God  who  has 
enabled  us  to  labor  for  the  world's  good. 

God  of  all  comfort,  enter  with  all  Thy  fullness 
into  our  hearts,  and  take  possession  of  them.  Bring 
to  remembrance  the  sweet  experiences  of  the  days 
when  fellowship  has  been  close,  and  comradeship 
has  been  intimate,  making  memory  retentive  of 
voice,  of  look,  of  hand,  and  of  work.  Impart  to  us 
the  assurance  of  Thy  presence  with  us  now,  so  that 
we  may  have  an  abundant  consciousness  of  Thy 
support.  Make  increasingly  clear  to  us  the  joy  of 
the  everlasting  life,  so  that  it  shall  become  to  us  as 
real  as  our  immediate  sorrow.  Steady  us  in  the 
path  of  loyal  devotion  to  all  the  principles  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Steady  us,  O  God,  for  we  are 
weak,  and  only  Thine  everlasting  arms  can  be  our 
sufficiency. 

As  we  go  forth  from  this  church,  may  it  be  that 
this  service  of  love  and  of  honor  for  her,  and  of 
faith  and  hope  in  Thee,  shall  have  been  to  us  a 
purification,  an  exaltation,  a  sanctification,  so  that 
all  life  henceforth  may  be  richer,  sweeter,  and  truer, 
because  our  beloved  has  gone   to  be  with  Thee. 


Thus  may  it  be  that  the  hours  and  the  days  to 
come  shall  be  more  glorious  hours  and  more  glorious 
days  than  have  ever  visited  our  hearts  and  lives; 
and  all  because  we  have  sorrowed  together,  and 
have  remembered  together,  and  have  had  faith  to- 
gether, in  this  hour.  This  we  ask  for  the  sake  and 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.    Amen. 

(^0  r<o  CO 
The  God  of  peace,  that  brought  again  from  the 
dead  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  Great  Shepherd  of 
the  sheep,  give  unto  us  grace  to  know  more  assur- 
edly the  fellowship  of  His  people  here  with  His  holy 
ones  who  have  gone  home;  lead  our  sister  departed 
from  glory  to  glory,  till  at  the  last  she  shall  behold 
the  beatific  vision;  and  also  make  you  who  remain 
in  this  present  world  perfect  in  every  good  work  to  do 
His  will,  working  in  you  that  which  is  well-pleasing 
in  His  sight,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord;  to 
Whom  be  glory  for  ever  and  ever.      Amen. 

CO       CO       CO 

Our  loving  Father,  the  victory  which  Thou 
hast  assured  us  over  death  and  the  grave  is  our 
word  of  comfort  as  we  stand  here  in  blessed  and 
hallowed  memory.  May  the  peace  of  God  abide 
in  the  hearts  of  all  loved  ones  who  have  gathered 
here;  and  may  grace,  mercy,  and  peace  abide  with 
you  all  now  and  always,  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord.    Amen. 


The  Voices 


"Her  friends  are  her  monument,  their  love 
is  imperishable,  for  the  human  heart  is  more 
steadfast  than  steel,  and  passing  from  lip  to 
lip  her  praise  shall  never  die." 


The  words  of  mourning,  of  sympathy,  of  love, 
and  of  admiration  in  the  countless  messages  received 
at  the  time  of  Mrs.  McCormick's  death  are  so  uni- 
fied in  thought  and  spirit  that,  like  a  great  chorus 
of  harmonious  voices,  they  seem  to  compose  a 
powerful  theme,  full  of  comfort  and  inspiration. 

Many  testified  to  their  sense  of  loss  and  claimed 
a  right  to  share  this  bereavement — those  who  were 
near  and  dear,  whose  heads  were  bowed  with  grief; 
those  who  had  never  seen  her  but  had  long  felt  the 
strength  of  her  influence;  those  who  had  known  her 
in  childhood;  those  who  had  been  her  girlhood 
friends;  those  with  whom  she  had  worked  or  played 
through  all  the  happy  years;  those  who  sent  yearn- 
ing messages  from  across  the  seas;  those  whose  lives 
she  had  touched  by  gracious  acts  of  kindness — the 
humble  servant,  the  honored  guest,  the  simple  im- 
migrant, the  distinguished  statesman.  There  were 
old  men  who  wrote  with  trembling  hands;  little 
children  who  were  sad  because  a  loyal  friend  had 
gone;  young  women  who  through  all  the  years  had 
cherished  sweet  Elizabeth's  memiory;  young  men 
who  had  felt  the  charm  of  her  motherly  interest; 
and  a  host  who  mourned  the  loss  of  a  beloved  and 
valued  citizen. 


1 


At  first  their  voices  mingled  in  a  common  cry  of 
sorrow — sorrow  for  themselves,  for  their  own  loss; 
but  slowly,  as  the  glory  of  her  life  was  revealed, 
there  appeared  dimly  through  their  tears — and  then 
more  clearly — her  radiant  presence,  more  stately  yet 
more  tender,  more  sweetly  understanding  than  be- 
fore; and  with  this  realization  their  sorrow  was 
changed  to  a  song  of  hope  and  triumph.  Death  was 
swallowed  up  in  victory! 

The  motive  running  through  these  messages 
gained  in  impressiveness  through  repetition,  and 
grew  in  majesty  as  it  grew  in  volume,  forming  a 
beautiful  symphony  —  a  succession  of  melodious 
movements  around  one  tender  theme,  begun  in  a 
minor  key  of  sadness  and  ending  in  triumphant 
chords. 

With  the  idea  of  this  symphony  in  mind,  these 
thoughts,  expressed  in  the  words  of  the  writers,  have 
been  selected  and  arranged  with  loving  care. 


THE  VOICES 


No  one  could  have  gone  from  our  midst  They  Mourn 
who  will  be  so  mourned  by  all  who  knew  her  oo 
A  noble  spirit  whose  daily  labors  were  of  great 
value  has  been  taken  from  her  sphere  of  activity 
and  influence  at  a  time  when  it  would  seem  she 
was  most  needed  ro  We  can*t  spare  her,  none 
of  us;  we  need  her  now,  here  with  us  c^  It  is 
for  those  who  are  left  that  my  heart  is  heavy, 
for  those  of  us  who  cannot  think  of  life  without 
her  friendship  (^o  I  only  want  to  tell  you  of 
my  sympathy  and  my  own  sense  of  loss  and 
grief  CO  The  world  looks  darker  to  many  of 
us  oo  I  have  never  had  such  sorrow  as  that 
which  now  fills  my  heart  c^d  I  am  overwhelmed 
by  a  feeling  of  deep  sadness  that  never  again 
may  I  have  the  touch  of  her  hand  or  look  into 
her  sweet  face  co  It  seems  impossible  that  I 
shall  not  see  her  smile  co  I  cannot  tell  you 
how  I  long  to  see  her  face  again,  to  hear  her 
voice;  I  loved  her  more  than  you  will  ever 
know  CO  It  is  a  sorrow  to  me  that  I  can  never 
again  in  this  life  come  into  her  gracious  pres- 
ence c^:)   It  is  a  lonely  world  to  me  tonight, 


and  I  am  far  away  when  I  would  be  near  at 
hand,  paying  my  tribute  of  love  to  my  dear, 
dear  neighbor  c^d  Her  relationship  to  us  was 
so  beautiful  and  gracious  that  we  feel  as  If  the 
light  had  been  dimmed  (to  I  have  lost  some 
one  I  love  very  much  and  I  feel  a  big  pain  In 
my  heart  (X)  My  love  and  admiration  for  her 
knew  no  bounds,  and  I  cannot  realize  that  God 
has  taken  her  from  us  c^  She  was  very  dear  to 
me,  and  I  shall  miss  her  desperately  r^  I  have 
always  felt  such  tenderness  and  love  for  her; 
I  don't  know  any  one  else  like  her  co  I  wish 
she  might  have  known  how  some  of  us  loved 
her  for  herself  so  much  more  than  for  the 
things  she  was  constantly  helping  us  to  do  for 
others  c^  Such  women  cannot  be  spared  from 
the  world;  those  who  reach  out  and  brighten  the 
lives  of  others  are  none  too  many  c\d  With  our 
earthly  vision,  it  seems  as  though  a  splendid, 
commanding,  uplifting  life  like  hers  could  not 
be  spared.  Her  capacity  was  so  great,  her  in- 
fluence for  the  world's  betterment  so  helpful, 
and  there  is  need  for  great  souls  today. 

They  Remember         Her  life  was  full  of  kind  deeds,  ever  simply 

ii€T  ixlTiilHCSS 

done;  she  was  genuinely  sincere  in  all  that  was 
for  the  betterment  of  the  world  c^  I  can 
never  forget  her  great  kindness  when  T  came  to 


Chicago  as  a  stranger.  To  me  she  was  and 
ever  will  be  the  queen  among  women  ro  I 
can  still  feel  the  warmth  of  her  arm  around 
me,  and  I  see  so  clearly  the  kind  light  in  her 
beautiful  eyes  c^  Her  kindness  to  me  in  our 
great  sorrow  is  something  I  cannot  express, 
but  shall  always  feel  <ro  Her  letters  to  me  I 
shall  keep  and  treasure,  for  each  one  had  in  it 
something  to  warm  my  heart  and  help  me 
during  the  long  waiting  of  war  days  c^  Only 
two  days  before  Mrs.  McCormick  was  taken 
ill,  I  met  her  on  the  street,  and  in  her  desire 
to  comfort  me  because  of  the  loss  of  my  daugh- 
ter, she  said,  "We  must  feel  no  bitterness 
when  our  loved  ones  are  taken"  ro  She  came 
to  see  me  first  the  day  my  elder  son  was  born, 
and  was  the  first  to  send  me  flowers.  I  was 
young  and  very  new  to  Chicago.  I  shall 
never  forget  how  much  that  expression  of 
interest  meant  co  She  was  so  kind  and 
sympathetic  during  those  hard  years  of  the 
war,  and  her  sweet  friendly  thought  for  us 
never  failed  ro  After  I  lost  my  baby,  no  one 
seemed  to  understand  or  help  me  as  much  as 
she  did.  Her  wonderful  bigness  of  heart  and 
mind  were  a  great  inspiration,  and  guided 
me  through  many  dark  hours  <ro   Her  personal 


kindness  to  me  began  with  her  hospitality  to 
my  mother  and  myself  soon  after  our  arrival 
in  Chicago  eighteen  years  ago,  and  it  has  been 
unfailing  ever  since  ro  I  shall  always  remem- 
ber her  welcome  to  me;  her  confidence  inspired 
me  to  do  my  best  c^  We  had  a  dear  boy  at 
the  Presbyterian  Hospital  some  nine  years 
ago,  and  she  tendered  us  the  use  of  your  room 
there;  and  that  was  not  all — her  kindnesses 
to  him  were  constant,  and  when  he  was  taken 
from  us  her  understanding  words  helped  us 
greatly  co  She  was  so  tender  and  sweet  in 
my  troubles  last  year,  I  shall  never  forget 
it  ro  Her  kindness  and  friendliness  to  me  those 
months  that  I  was  in  Chicago  are  a  happy 
memory  co  Her  courtesy  to  me  was  infinite  co 
I  received  from  her  on  innumerable  occasions 
the  tokens  of  real  kindness,  true  American 
friendship,  and  hospitality  <x)  I  must  write  to 
tell  you  how  we  love  her,  and  shall  miss  her. 
She  did  so  much  to  make  the  first  year  of 
our  married  life  rich  in  happy  memories  c%d 
My  eyes  are  dim  with  tears  and  my  heart 
overflowing  with  tenderness  as  I  think  of 
the  many  kind  and  wonderful  things  she  has 
planned  and  done  for  us  since  we  came  here 
to   live  oo   I    live   surrounded    by    her   sweet 


thoughtfulness!  What  a  beautiful  memory  we 
all  have  of  her,  for  she  was  constantly  doing  for 
others. 

She  was  always  the  same  dear,  true  friend, 
never  thinking  of  herself  but  of  others,  constant- 
ly doing  the  loveliest  things  for  them  ro  A  train 
conductor  told  me  that  after  the  death  of  one 
of   his   children,   Mrs.    McCormick    talked   so 
beautifully  to  his  wife  that  she  said  it  was  her 
greatest  comfort  c^  When  my  husband  died,  she 
wrote  my  daughter  the  kindest,  most  motherly 
letter,  opening  to  her  her  heart  and  home — I 
would  have  trusted  my  daughter  to  her  any- 
where on  earth  c^  How  wonderful  she  was  in 
her  watchful  attention  to  every  detail,  thinking 
always  of  what  she  could  do  for  other  people  c^^ 
I  never  knew  any  one  more  thoughtful  and  more 
unselfishly  glad  to  take  trouble  for  others  c^  It 
was  Harriet's  natural  impulse  to  bring  happiness 
into  people's  lives,  whenever  she  could  find  a  way 
of  reaching  them  c^  Courtesy  and  thoughtful- 
ness were  part  of  her  daily  life   co   I  have  never 
known  a  more  gracious  presence  nor  one  whose 
kindliness  was  so  unfailing   ro   Her  loving  spirit 
and  foresight  made  possible  richer,  fuller  lives 
for  many  who  never  would  have  known  either 
health  or  happiness. 


She  has  left  behind  her  a  lasting  memorial  in 
the  multitudes  of  little  children  who  have  been 
blest  by  her  wise  and  tender  beneficence  c%d 
The  city,  especially  the  children  of  the  city, 
know  what  Mrs.  McCormick's  death  means  c^j 
We  can  never  forget  her  generous  and  ready 
response  to  the  children's  wants   ro   She  good 
woman — help    children — friend    of    mine — she 
good  woman   c^   We  teachers  appreciate  more 
and   more   the  value   of  the   good    work    she 
helped  to  establish,  for  the  open  window  rooms 
are  indeed  life  savers  in  our  stockyards  neigh- 
borhood  CO   The  personal  loss  is  great,  but  the 
good   that  her  life  has  done  is   a  wonderful, 
living  thing.     The  school  children  in  this  and 
other  cities  talk  about  the  Elizabeth  McCormick 
Memorial  Fund  with  a  familiarity  and  an  in- 
terest that  is  very  touching  c%d  The  kindnesses 
of   Mrs.   McCormick   to   the    children   of   the 
Open  Air  Schools  will  never  be  forgotten;  and  I 
shall  always  keep  and  treasure  the  letters  she 
sent  me  during  my  stay  at  the  school  ro  Ruddy 
cheeks  which  once  were  pallid,  strong  bodies 
which  once  were  weak,  prove  that  a  work  was 
started  which  must  endure.     Surely  no  greater 
monument  could  be  erected  to  her  memory    oo 
Every  good  citizen  has  a  pride  in  the  unique 


service  she  has  rendered  to  children  co  She 
was,  above  all,  in  the  greatness  of  her  heart, 
and  with  the  tender  memory  of  her  little 
daughter,  eager  to  help  children  ro  She  will 
be  surrounded  by  a  cloud  of  witnesses — an 
army  of  little  children  whose  feet  she  has  set 
on  the  road  to  health,  who  will  rise  up  and  call 
her  blessed. 

Mrs.  McCormick  always  had  an  uncom- 
monly real  bond  with  the  younger  generation, 
it  seemed  to  me,  and  her  generous  kindness 
to  so  many  of  us  made  us  feel  that  we 
were  part  of  her  life  c%d  Of  all  the  wonderful 
mothers  I  have  met,  I  know  of  none  whom  I 
admired,  respected,  and  loved  better  cro  As 
long  as  I  remember  anything,  I  shall  remem- 
ber her  virtues  and  kindnesses.  I  can  never 
forget  her  kind  words  of  encouragement  when 
I  met  her  last  c^  I  shall  always  think  of 
your  mother  as  an  angel  of  goodness  in  those 
first  homesick  days  at  Princeton,  as  well  as  on 
many  other  occasions  when  she  was  kind  and 
lovely  to  me  cx)  I  remember  her  so  well  at 
Camp  Grant  and  at  Sparta  —  so  gracious  and 
cheering,  so  full  of  energy  and  the  spirit  of  ser- 
vice, that  she  seemed  to  me  the  embodiment  of 
vitality   co   It  was  a  privilege  for  me  to  know 


your  mother.  Such  a  combination  of  beauty, 
intellect,  kindliness  of  feeling,  love,  and  queen- 
liness  as  was  hers  is  seldom  found. 

They  Praise  Her        In  the  sacred  precincts  of  her  home  she  was 
Devotwnte    er    ^^^  \\g\\t  and  Center,  the  adored  and  loving 
wife,  the  tender  and  devoted  mother  c^  Harriet 
had  before  her  a  high  ideal  of  wifehood  and 
motherhood   in   your   own   wonderful   mother. 
How  nobly  did  she  take  up  all  the  cares  and 
all  the  joys,  all   the  bliss  and  all  the  sorrow, 
and   in   simple,  gentle,  unaffected  strength  of 
character  become  herself  an  example  of  sweet- 
est wife   and   noblest  mother   co   A    radiant, 
rich,  and  gracious  life;  a  motherhood  ideal 
and    strong    in    its    conception    of   duty     co 
Mrs.  McCormick  was  always  to  me  the  picture 
of  a  happy  wife,  a  perfect  mother,  and  an  ideal 
citizen    ro    It   has   been   a   privilege   to   know 
her  in  the  intimacy  of  her  home.     I  think  of 
her  as  I  saw  her  last,  standing  in   the  hall 
at  Walden,  her  face  radiant  with  affectionate 
solicitude   as   she   made   sure    that   everything 
had    been    done    for   our    convenience    on    the 
homeward    drive.      As    a    hostess    no    detail 
that  might  add  to  the  pleasure  or  comfort  of 
her  guests  seemed   too   trivial   to  demand   her 
personal   attention    c%d    My   knowledge  of  the 


atmosphere  of  a  beautiful  home  life  while  in  your 
service  has  left  a  deep  impression  on  me   ro 
Her  presence  in  her  home  will  be  missed  to  an 
unusual  degree,  for  she  was   a   home-maker 
above  all  else  <^o   Walden  will  ever  be  filled 
with   the  sweet  spirit  of  her  hospitality   and 
friendship,  and  its  quiet  paths  and  shady  lawns 
will  always  speak  of  her  gracious  personality  r^ 
She  was  a  remarkable   woman,   a   model   wife 
and  mother,  who,  without  neglecting  the  pleas- 
ant obligations  of  her  home,  was  a  strong 
influence  in  social  life,  and  at  the  same  time 
an  active  force  in  public  affairs   ro   Her  rare 
virtues  and  gracious  presence  gave  to  her  home 
a  distinctive  Christian  atmosphere,  readily  rec- 
ognized   by    all  of  us  who  were  privileged  to 
enjoy   its   hospitality   c^   Her   home   life   was 
beautiful  and  will  always  be  my  ideal   c^    She 
liked  to  live  quietly  at  home  with  her  husband 
and  children,  apart  from  the  social  obligations 
which  crowded  in  upon  herco  I  like  most  of  all 
to  remember  her  at  Walden,  whose  beauty  she 
was   so    eager   to   share  co    Mrs.   McCormick 
was  at  her  best  in  her  home,  dispensing  to  all 
kinds   of  people   generous  and   delightful  hos- 
pitality CO    She  was   a   rare  and   sympathetic 
companion,  both  a  helpmeet  and  an  inspiration. 


not  only  in  the  intimacy  of  her  home  but  in 
the  broad  interests  and  far-reaching  enter- 
prises with  which  your  family  is  so  closely 
connected  co  She  was  a  wonderful  woman — 
in  her  radiant,  queenly  presence,  in  her  gracious 
home-making  and  hospitality,  in  her  great 
capacity  for  friendship,  in  her  wide  and  sym- 
pathetic interest  in  people  everywhere  and  in 
every  walk  of  life,  in  her  own  unselfish  Christian 
character — a  beautiful  example  of  American 
womanhood. 

They  Praise  Her        As  I  listened  yesterday,  during  the  services,  to 

Noble  Character      ,       t^-ii-      ii  •      •  r.L         •    ^ 

the  Biblical  description  or  the  virtuous  woman, 
I  thought  how  truly  every  word  and  phrase  ap- 
plied to  Mrs.  McCormick's  life  and  character. 
She  did  indeed  excel  in  her  natural  gifts  and 
in  the  use  she  made  of  her  great  opportunities  c%3 
She  stood  so  nobly  and  so  sweetly  for  all  the 
things  that  are  more  excellent  in  the  city's  life 
that  her  death  is  an  inestimable  loss  ro  In 
the  midst  of  the  rushing  brusqueness  of  others 
she  always  had  the  time  to  be  gracious  and 
charming.  She  radiated  a  spirit  of  helpfulness 
that  will  not  die,  but  will  live  to  be  a  rich 
inheritance  to  all  who  knew  her  co  She  was 
never  afraid,  in  the  midst  of  the  gayety  and  joy 


of  life,  to  sit  at  home  and  think  ro  She  had 
what  every  one  of  us  would  wish  for  him  or  her- 
self, a  life  full  to  the  brim,  and  to  the  very  end, 
with  service,  with  love  and  friendship,  with  wise 
generosity,  and  with  infinite  usefulness  oo  She 
was  not  one  to  supplant  old  affections  with 
new;  the  new  were  just  added  to  the  old  co  To 
me  she  combined  two  great  qualities,  simplic- 
ity and  dignity  c%d  Harriet  was,  in  spite  of  all 
she  had,  a  very  simple  woman,  loving  simple 
things;  and  I  think  she  was  more  interested  in 
showing  a  wild  flower  in  the  woods  at  Walden 
than  a  painting  or  a  tapestry  in  her  home  in 
town  CO  Her  valuations  in  life  were  so  true  ro 
Holding  fast  to  what  seemed  to  her  just  and 
right,  the  spirit  of  toleration  and  the  law  of 
kindness  dwelt  in  her  speech  and  actions  co  I 
am  glad  to  have  had  the  privilege  of  serving 
Mrs.  McCormick  all  these  years.  The  more 
I  learned  to  know  her,  the  more  I  loved  and 
respected  her  <ro  She  was  so  fine  and  in- 
spiring, and  at  the  same  time  so  natural  and 
human,  that  the  beauty  of  her  character  was 
immediately  apparent  to  those  with  whom  she 
came  in  contact  even  casually  oo  She  stood 
for  so  much  that  was  big  and  splendid,  yet 
underneath  her  stately  dignity  and  unfaihng 


graciousness  there  seemed  to  be  something 
shy  and  wistful  and  humble  —  something  one 
might  almost   call   self-distrustful — it  always 
pulled  my  heart-strings  and  made  me  love 
her  all  the  more  c^  I  wish  you  could  know 
how  often  I  think  of  her!     I  felt  drawn   to 
her  from   the  first  moment  I   saw  her  —  how 
well  I  remember  that  meeting!    -I  thought 
her   the   most   charming   and   perfect   hostess, 
gracious  and  courteous,  thinking  of  every- 
one.    I    made  up  my   mind   then   and   there 
that  she  must  be  an  admirable  woman,  and 
everything  I   have  known  or  heard  about  her 
since  has  served  to  confirm   that  first  high 
estimate   ro   From  my  earliest  meeting  I  felt 
the  sweet  radiance  of  her  character   co   Perhaps 
she  developed  the  ability  to  command;  perhaps 
she  acquired  tact;  but  graciousness  and  love  were 
born  in  her  ro  Just  to  watch  Mrs.  McCormick 
was   a  delight,   but    to   have    the    privilege  of 
consulting  her  occasionally,  and  to  know  that 
words  spoken  before  her  were  as  safe  as  if  never 
spoken  at  all,  was  an  inexpressible  comfort   ro 
I  treasure  as  a  happy  memory  our  long  talks, 
in  which  the  beauty  and  fine  integrity  of  her 
nature  were  revealed   ro   No  one  can  acquire 
that  hold  upon  others  unless  possessed  of  rare 


powers,  mental  and  spiritual  oo  She  had  a 
sympathetic  and  loyal  heart,  softened  by  an 
acquaintance  with  grief,  which  seemed  to  have 
lifted  her  above  selfishness,  worldliness,  and 
self-importance  co  I  watched  with  increasing 
admiration  the  development  of  her  noble 
character — her  sweetness  and  affection,  her 
high  ideals,  her  superb  sense  of  stewardship 
rising  with  her  ever-increasing  responsibilities, 
her  great  moral  strength.  She  had  the  wisdom 
not  to  condemn  the  world  by  shunning  it,  but 
to  take  an  active  part  in  it,  courageously  main- 
taining the  highest  ideals  ro  Her  social  standards 
were  an  unconscious  criticism  of  flippancy 
and  ostentation  ro  She  saw  quickly  the  most 
subtle  point  of  what  was  right,  then  quietly 
but  firmly  took  her  stand,  and  the  influence  of 
it  was  felt  not  only  among  her  friends  but 
throughout  the  city  r^  She  always  seemed  to  me 
to  combine  unusual  qualities  of  head  and  heart, 
great  executive  powers  with  loving  sympathies, 
firm  convictions  with  sweet  reasonableness, 
definite  faith  on  her  own  part  with  broad 
tolerance  for  others,  always  maintaining  that 
difficult  balance  of  being  in  the  world  and  yet 
not  wholly  of  it,  enjoying  richly  its  pleasures 
but  unspotted  by  its  soil. 


They  Love  Her         My  earliest  memory  goes  back  to  the  days 
Beauty  when  as  a  girl  she  visited  here.     She  was  so 

lovely  ro  I  think  of  her  as  she  looked  at  the 
time  of  her  wedding — so  gracious  and  beautiful 
because  of  the  soul  that  illumined  her  face  c%3 
We  have  been  recalling  our  early  memories 
of  her  —  her  abounding  life  and  spontaneity, 
her  joyous  charm  with  her  young  children,  and 
their  delight  in  her  queenly  beauty  co  All  the 
gifts  were  hers,  yet  she  was  untouched  by 
vanity  c^  I  think  that  the  quality  that  drew 
me  to  her  most  irresistibly  was  a  certain 
spontaneous,  eternal  girlishness,  a  freshness  of 
spirit  that  nothing  seemed  to  daunt  co  It  is 
esteemed  by  me  as  a  great  and  good  fortune 
that  I  had  the  pleasure  and  honor  of  knowing 
her  and  coming  within  the  circle  irradiated 
by  her  charm  of  mind  and  person  ro  We 
have  known  no  other  woman  who  combined  so 
many  noble  and  gracious  qualities  of  mind  and 
heart,  as  well  as  great  beauty  of  person,  as  she 
did  c^  I  shall  always  remember  her  as  I  used 
to  see  her,  fresh  and  beautiful,  in  the  early  morn- 
ings here  in  Paris  just  one  short  year  ago  c%:> 
Her  gracious  manner  was  unchanging;  there 
was  a  personal  note  in  it,  and  her  exquisite 
smile  was  like  sunshine  c^3  I  am  thinking  of  the 


strong  influence  of  her  steady,  valiant  charac- 
ter, of  her  rare  beauty,  and  of  the  tender  feeling 
which  shone  in  her  eyes. 

Ever  since  Harriet  came  to  Chicago,  a  They  speak  oj 
beautiful,  blooming,  slender,  erect  girl  of  twelve,  ideal 
I  have  loved  and  admired  her  and  longed  to 
be  like  her.  She  embodied  beauty,  goodness, 
gayety,  and  sweetness  in  a  way  no  one  I  ever 
knew  did  co  Every  child  forms  an  ideal  to  live 
up  to,  and  long  ago  I  chose  Mrs.  McCormick 
as  mine;  every  sweet  and  womanly  act  of  hers 
made  me  happy  and  proud  because  she  was 
the  star  my  eyes  followed  oo  She  has  been  my 
ideal  of  all  a  woman  should  be  since  I  was  a 
little  girl  ro  I  think  you  know  how  much  I 
loved  her  and  looked  up  to  her  from  the  time 
I  was  quite  a  little  person  (^o  From  the  moment 
when,  as  an  exquisite  young  girl,  she  first 
came  to  see  me,  to  my  last  visit  with  her  a 
month  ago,  she  has  dwelt  in  my  mind  as  an 
example  of  all  that  a  woman  should  be  ro  She 
meant  everything  that  was  finest  in  life  to  me, 
and  I  have  always  counted  her  as  one  of  my 
dearest  friends  c^  I  should  like  to  have  some 
little  thing  that  was  hers  —  a  book  or  a  photo- 
graph, something  she  treasured  —  to  remind  me 
constantly  of  all  that  she  stood  for  c^3  When 


I  feel  small  and  out  of  courage  I  look  at  her 
picture  for  inspiration,  take  another  grip  on 
myself,  and  face  the  thing  feared  ro  I  never 
parted  from  her  without  feeling  myself  a 
better  woman  for  our  moments  together  co  I 
want  you  to  know  what  an  inspiration  she  has 
been  to  me;  and  lately  when  things  have 
gone  hard,  her  words  and  her  faithful  friend- 
ship have  given  me  courage  ro  She  endowed  life 
for  me  with  a  new  meaning.  She  renewed 
my  hope  and  strengthened  my  faith  ro  I 
never  was  with  her  that  I  did  not  feel 
refreshed  and  inspired  to  meet  life  in  a  better, 
higher  way  co  Association  with  her  inspired 
all  who  knew  her  to  seek  service  and  the  things 
worth  while  ro  Mrs.  McCormick  has  been 
my  ideal  of  all  that  is  best  —  of  what  I  have 
wanted  to  be.  She  made  me  want  to  live  a 
better,  fuller  life  because  she  gave  so  abun- 
dantly of  her  own  life  for  others  ro  I  shall 
always  treasure  my  memories  of  Harriet  and 
all  that  she  stood  for  c%3  She  was  to  me 
the  embodiment  of  those  qualities  I  have 
long  considered  necessary  for  my  ideal  of  woman- 
hood oo  Through  my  acquaintance  with 
her  I  have  a  vision  of  the  great  gift  of  true 
womanhood  and  its  power  in  life   oo    Her 


splendid  life  has  brought  sunshine  and  joy  into 
the  lives  of  others,  and  many  of  us  feel  that  we 
are  the  better  for  having  had  so  noble  a  woman 
among  us  ro  The  beauty  of  her  character,  in 
its  sincerity,  its  unselfish  thought  for  others, 
its  entire  devotion  to  the  right,  is  to  older  and 
younger  women  alike  a  wonderful  inspiration. 

One    of  the    enriching    experiences   of   my  They  Rejoice  in 

•    -i  r  1  •  1        Her  Leadership 

life  has  been  the  privilege  or  working  under 
Mrs.  McCormick's  leadership  «ro  She  was  a 
tower  of  strength  in  such  a  wide  field  c^ 
Wherever  she  served  she  became  a  leader, 
and  it  was  a  joy  to  follow  co  Her  assistance 
in  every  big  undertaking  was  so  graciously 
extended  that  it  was  indeed  a  pleasure  to  serve 
with  her  (^o  There  never  was  a  thing  asked  of 
her,  nor  a  point  on  which  she  was  consulted, 
to  which  she  did  not  give  of  her  best  judgment; 
she  always  seemed  able  to  find  the  golden 
mean  between  what  was  too  radical  and 
what  was  too  conservative  co  To  see  her 
name  connected  with  an  organization  meant 
that  its  aims  were  high  and  its  business 
principles  sound  r^  We  know  so  well  what  it 
means  to  work  with  those  who  stand  stanchly 
by,  as  she  did,  to  give  loving  aid  and 
hearty  support  to  the  task  to  be  performed  c^ 


Many  of  us  did  not  know  her  personally,  yet 
somehow,  in  an  intangible  way,  we  felt  we  had 
her  friendly  interest  co  She  often  seemed  to  lack 
confidence  in  herself,  but  when  she  had  been 
persuaded   that   she  was   needed   for   a  given 
undertaking  and  her  reluctance  had  been  over- 
come, she  would  assume  the  leadership  with 
enthusiasm,  cheerfully  fulfilling  every  obligation 
and  creating  a  standard  for  those  who  came 
after  c^   She  was   a  loyal  friend   to  every 
good  cause,  her  mind  active  in   thinking  and 
planning,  her  zeal  contagious,  her  counsel  wise, 
and  her  judgment  sane   ro   Her  benefactions,  • 
her  beautiful  spirit  of  service,  her  vision,  and 
her  broad-mindedness  constitute  a  legacy  which 
the  entire  association  regards  as  a  rare  inspira- 
tion c^o  Her  loyalty,  her  enthusiasm,  and  the 
strength  of  her  leadership  are  among  our  pre- 
cious  memories   of   this  lovely  and  singularly 
noble  woman. 

They  Honor  Her        When  to  unsclfish  dcvotion,  and  sympathy 
Citizen  for  the  poor  and  weak,  there  is  added  a  desire 

to  express  it  in  a  material  way,  then  it  is  dif- 
ficult to  estimate  the  great  loss  to  a  city  when 
one  like  Mrs.  McCormick  is  taken  away  ro  It 
isn't  just  her  friends  or  a  few  people  who 
will  miss  her,   but   the  entire  community   c%3 


Chicago  has  suffered  a  great  loss,  and  all  her 
friends  are  the  poorer  co  The  city  and  the  nation 
at  large  have  lost  a  great  citizen  co  Apathy 
in  civic  affairs  is  a  difficult  thing  to  contend 
with,  but  she  was  the  personification  of 
interest  in  every  worthwhile  endeavor  c^  She 
set  a  high  standard  as  a  friend  and  citizen, 
and  her  going  makes  one  realize,  along  with 
the  pain,  the  value  and  glory  of  such  a  life  co 
Mrs.  McCormick  was  truly  a  leader;  herself 
good  and  beautiful,  she  stood  for  all  that  was 
good  and  beautiful  in  the  city's  life  (to  No  one 
can  fill  her  place  in  Chicago;  she  was  loved, 
respected,  honored  by  all  who  knew  her;  a 
perfect  wife  and  mother,  a  public-spirited  citi- 
zen, a  philanthropist,  a  woman  of  great  heart 
and  warmest  sympathies,  a  rare  combination  of 
gentleness  and  force,  of  principle  and  tact,  and 
grace  and  beauty.  To  have  known  her  was  a 
privilege;  it  strengthened  one's  belief  in  human 
nature  and  all  that  is  good  c^  She  was  a 
splendid  representative  of  American  Christian 
womanhood  c%d  The  wisdom,  judgment,  and 
sympathy  which  were  hers  made  her  life  effec- 
tive in  a  very  wide  world  —  a  world  which  will 
continue  to  receive  her  beneficence,  though  the 
intimate  touch  of  her  guiding  hand  is  gone  oj 


She  was  vitally  interested  in  the  affairs  of  this 
country,  and  of  the  world,  and  splendidly 
equipped  to  take  part  in  them  co  Women 
such  as  she  appear  only  at  long  intervals; 
when  they  do,  their  excellence  is  recognized 
and  appreciated,  not  only  by  those  fortunate 
enough  to  come  within  the  circle  of  their 
influence,  but  also  by  all  intelligent  and 
right-minded  observers  of  the  forces  which 
operate  for  the  general  good. 

Questioning  and         You  and  I  have  had  the  privilege  of  sharing 

Mourning  Are  ,.  •   i  ^        c  i     i_  • 

Swept  Away  our  lives  With  great  souls;  for  such  happiness 
we  must  be  deeply  grateful  to  God.  Now  that 
sorrow  has  come,  we  have  no  choice,  save  as 
to  how  we  shall  meet  it.  We  may  make  these 
experiences  weights  to  our  feet  or  wings  to  our 
souls;  we  may  sit  alone  with  our  grief  or  share 
the  world's  sorrow;  we  may  be  victims  of  our 
loneliness  or  victors  over  it;  we  may  remain  in 
the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death  or  soar  to 
the  mountain  peaks  of  transfiguration,  for 
"It  isn't  life  that  counts  but  the  courage  you 
bring  to  it"  c^  Beautiful  to  look  upon  and 
beautiful  in  soul,  she  was  prepared  for  her 
translation  c^  It  brings  comfort  to  us,  as  it 
must  to  you,  to  know  that  Harriet's  spirit  has 
now  joined  that  of  Elizabeth;  and  because  of 


oj 


their  lives  here,  we  are  all  richer  in  happiness 
and  joy  ro  The  thought  of  her  reunion  with 
Elizabeth  is  very  comforting  co  In  the  stricken 
sense  of  loss  which  one  and  all  suffer  through 
her  departure,  I  can  see  the  two  long  pro- 
cessions of  those  who  mourn  here  and  those 
who  welcome  and  rejoice  there;  for  Harriet 
McCormick  to  have  passed  from  earth  into  the 
glory  of  heaven,  almost  untouched  by  illness 
or  weariness  of  the  flesh,  is  a  triumph  meet  for 
her  glorious  life. 

I  am  inspired  and  uplifted  by  my  precious  Rising  Above 
memories  of  Harriet  ro  I  shall  always  think  the^victory  ^"^ 
of  her  with  happiness,  as  long  as  I  live  co  Life  ^^'^^^ 
without  her  will  never  be  quite  so  sweet,  quite 
so  worth  while — but  because  of  her  we  shall 
all  live  it  better  c^  Death  cannot  dim  her 
dear  and  radiant  personality  co  She  fulfilled 
her  destiny  in  life,  and  her  spirit  has  now  gone 
to  a  glory  beyond  our  understanding  co  Her 
finely  balanced  mind  and  heart  gave  to  her 
life  an  enduring  influence  which  serves  to 
strengthen  in  others  the  will  to  carry  on  the 
work  in  which  she  believed  co  Her  spirit  still 
lives  with  us  to  help  us  do  our  duty  as  she 
so  unselfishly  and  nobly  did  hers  c^  Her 
character  and  personality  were  so  strong  and 


outstanding  that  there  remains  for  us  a  power- 
ful and  a  living  influence  t^o  We  shall  cherish 
her  memory  and  try  to  follow  the  example  she 
has  set  us  co  We  shall  miss  her  oh!  so  much! 
but  we  must  hold  fast  to  the  wonderful  spirit 
and  the  high  ideals  that  she  ever  maintained  ro 
We  cannot  lose  her;  such  a  wealth  of  un- 
selfish enthusiasm  as  she  shed  upon  those 
with  whom  she  came  in  contact  must  ever 
remain  an  ideal  and  an  inspiration  ro  Some  of 
us  will  do  better,  braver  work  because  of  her 
courage  and  her  truly  beautiful  life  ro  To 
have  known  her  strengthened  one's  belief  in 
human  nature  and  all  that  is  good  co  My 
own  life  is  the  stronger  and  finer  for  every 
remembrance  of  her  co  We  shall  carry  into 
the  future  the  rich  benefit  of  having  known 
and  loved  her  co  The  world  was  exalted  and 
made  more  beautiful  by  her  righteous  life  co 
There  remains  uppermost  in  our  hearts  an 
all-surpassing  feeling  of  gratitude  for  the 
wonderful  lessons  of  her  life  co  Her  sweet 
spirit,  so  treasured  on  earth,  has  gone  to  larger 
fields  of  usefulness  co  God's  Divine  Plan  is  surely 
brought  nearer  perfection  through  Harriet 
McCormick's  life  and  work  c\5  She  made  life 
more  beautiful  in  living,  and  in  going   makes 


heaven  seem  more  near  csd  Did  you  see  the  rift  in 
the  clouds  and  the  ray  of  sunshine  creep  through, 
during  the  services  at  Graceland?  Her  passing 
into  the  brighter  life  leaves  behind  a  trail  of 
glory  ro  Harriet's  spirit  lives  on,  in  the  con- 
sciousness of  the  whole  community,  in  the 
hearts  of  her  friends,  and  in  the  inmost  life  of 
her  family  co  A  hfe  so  significant  to  the  world, 
abounding  in  that  which  is  good  and  lovely, 
triumphs  over  death,  for  by  its  works  there  is 
created  a  noble  immortality. 


*THE  PICTURE  OF  A  LIFE  WELL  SPENT." 


Harriet  Hammond  McCormick 

The  childhood  home  of  Mrs.  McCormick  in 
Haverhill,  Massachusetts,  is  picturesquely  de- 
scribed in  her  own  words:  "The  brick  house  in 
which  Grandfather  and  Grandmother  Hammond 
lived  was  large  and  roomy.  The  two  rooms  to 
the  left  of  the  front  door  were  sacred  to  the 
owners:  the  front  room  where  grandma  was 
always  to  be  found  in  the  high-backed  chair  by 
the  front  window  overlooking  the  tree-shaded 
lawn  of  the  Baptist  Church;  and  the  back  sitting- 
room  where  stood  grandfather's  secretary  and 
where  hung  an  old  portrait  of  Daniel  Webster, 
looking  into  the  distance  with  those  stern,  far- 
seeing  eyes,  which  seemed  to  follow  me  wherever 
I  went.  Then  there  were  the  two  best  parlors 
across  the  hall,  always  kept  closed  except  on 
state  occasions,  and  here  there  were,  between  the 
windows,  long  mirrors  in  gilt  frames,  supported 
by  marble  console  tables  with  gilt  legs.  The 
paper  was  striped  greyish-white  and  green,  and 
it  had  a  dull  velvety  surface  which  I  used  to 
touch,  and  it  gave  me  a  queer,  creepy  feeling.    I 


can  still  see  these  rooms  with  their  stiff,  hand- 
some furnishings,  the  rosewood  furniture,  the 
marble-topped  tables,  and  on  one  of  them  the 
large  family  Bibles. 

"There  were  two  of  these  family  Bibles  in 
my  grandfather's  household.  The  best  one 
contained  the  records  of  more  recent  births, 
marriages,  and  deaths;  whereas  the  older  one, 
bound  in  much  worn  sheepskin,  was  in  daily  use, 
and  on  this  I  was  allowed  to  sit  at  meals.  At 
breakfast  my  grandfather  always  read  a  chapter 
from  the  Bible  and  said  a  prayer,  and  I  leaned 
against  his  shoulder  until  the  morning  devotions 
were  ended.  Grandfather  and  grandmother 
were  an  extraordinarily  handsome  couple;  he 
was  the  more  genial  of  the  two,  while  she  had 
more  reserve  and  a  certain  old-school  dignity  of 
manner.  Grandfather's  commanding  presence 
made  him  a  marked  figure  as  he  walked  about 
with  his  ivory-headed  cane  in  his  hand,  and  his 
carefully  brushed  black  broadcloth  suit,  the  high 
satin  stock  and  linen  collar  of  earlier  days,  and 
always  the  shining  beaver  hat." 

This  charmingly  sketched  picture  suggests 
the  story  of  Mrs.  McCormick's  ancestry  and  of 
her  early  surroundings. 


In  1624  John  Woodbury  left  his  home  in 
Somersetshire,  England,  and  with  his  wife, 
Joanna,  came  to  Salem,  Massachusetts,  to  found 
a  home  in  the  new  country.  He  filled  the  im- 
portant offices  of  constable  and  treasurer  of  the 
little  town,  was  a  member  of  the  first  Meeting 
House,  and  was  called  aflfectionately  "Father 
Woodbury"  by  his  fellow  townsmen.  The 
descendants  of  John  and  Joanna  Woodbury  for 
four  generations  lived  in  Salem  or  in  Beverly. 
In  1789  one  of  them,  Mehitable  Woodbury  by 
name,  married  Philip  Hammond,  whose  family 
had  early  settled  in  Marblehead.  Their  first 
child,  Andrew  Woodbury  Hammond,  was  Mrs. 
McCormick's  grandfather.  His  wife  was  Harriet 
Bradley,  whose  first  American  ancestor,  Joseph 
Bradley,  had  settled  in  Haverhill  in  1659. 

Andrew  and  Harriet  Hammond  had  five 
children,  of  whom  the  youngest  was  George 
Woodbury  Hammond.  Like  many  of  his  ances- 
tors before  him,  this  young  man  also  followed  the 
sea,  and  on  one  of  his  voyages,  while  in  command 
of  one  of  several  merchant  ships  owned  jointly 
by  himself  and  his  elder  brother,  he  touched  at 
Newport,  Monmouthshire,  England.  Here  he 
met  Emma  Young,  the  daughter  of  a  small 
English  landowner,  to  whom   he  was  married 


in  1861.  And  it  was  at  Newport,  on  December 
21,  1862,  that  Harriet  Bradley  Hammond  was 
born.  When  she  was  about  a  year  old,  her 
father,  Captain  Hammond,  brought  his  wife  and 
baby  daughter  to  America,  where  they  lived  with 
his  parents  at  the  old  family  home  in  Haverhill, 
Massachusetts.  When  the  little  Harriet  was 
five  years  old,  her  parents  took  her  with  them  on 
a  voyage  to  Bombay,  the  glories  of  which  left 
vivid  pictures  in  her  mind,  which  she  never 
wearied  of  describing  to  her  playmates. 

A  girlhood  friend  has  written  of  her  during  the 
time  she  lived  in  Haverhill:  "I  have  a  joyful 
memory  of  the  first  time  I  saw  Hattie  Ham- 
mond. I  was  a  very  little  girl,  she  a  big  one,  and 
I  had  been  asked  to  go  and  spend  the  afternoon 
with  her.  I  had  been  told  that  she  liked  little 
girls  and  would  play  with  me.  I  remember  that 
she  did  play  with  me  all  afternoon  and  I  had  a 
most  beautiful  time.  After  this  first  meeting  I 
saw  her  often  until  she  went  to  Chicago  to  live. 
After  each  meeting  I  loved  her  more,  and  grad- 
ually the  thought  came  to  me  that  I  wanted  to 
be  like  her  because  she  gave  so  much  pleasure 
and  was  always  doing  kind  and  thoughtful  things 
for  people,  yet  she  always  had  a  good  time  and 
was  full  of  fun  and  high  spirits.     I  remember 


how  fair  she  was  when  we  played  games.    She 
would  never  take  any  advantage  of  the  rest." 

In  January,  1875,  when  Harriet  Hammond 
was  twelve  years  old,  her  father  died,  and 
she  came  to  Chicago  to  live  with  her  aunt, 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hammond  Stickney,  who 
adopted  her  and  looked  upon  her  as  her  own 
child.  Mrs.  Hammond,  with  her  two  sons, 
remained  in  Haverhill  for  some  years,  after 
which  she  returned  to  her  old  home  in  Newport, 
England.  Of  Harriet's  advent  into  Chicago  life 
another  girlhood  friend  has  written:  "On  the 
north  side,  within  a  circle  of  which  Madam 
McCormick's  house  on  Rush  Street  might  be 
described  as  the  center,  there  lived  a  small  and 
intimate  group  of  children  who  had  been 
temporarily  scattered  by  the  Fire.  The 
neighborhood  was  very  simple  in  its  friendliness, 
the  elders  working  together  for  the  rebuilding 
of  the  city,  and  their  daughters  gathering  in 
Miss  Kirkland's  school,  which  was  then  held  in 
the  King  house.  Into  this  group  of  children 
who  knew  each  other  well  came  a  new  and 
beautiful  girl  from  the  East,  and  we  all  felt 
at  once  the  loveliness  of  her  character  as  well  as 
of  her  person.  A  vivid  picture  comes  to  me  of 
Harriet  Hammond  as  she  was  then,  a  tall,  active 


girl,  with  erect  carriage,  free  swinging  step,  long 
yellow  braids,  blue  eyes,  and  brilliant  coloring. 
She  was  a  real  personality." 

This  daughter  of  New  England  ancestry, 
with  her  character  already  moulded  by  healthy 
discipline  and  deep  religious  influences,  came 
thus  into  the  city  that  was  to  be  her  home.  Mrs. 
Stickney's  ideas  of  how  a  young  woman  should 
be  trained  were  based  upon  steadfast  New  Eng- 
land principles.  These  principles  made  a  deep 
and  lasting  impression  on  the  young  girl's  mind, 
solidifying  the  foundations  of  her  character  and 
endowing  her  with  a  strength  of  purpose,  clear- 
ness of  vision,  and  calmness  of  judgment  which 
were  to  distinguish  her  in  later  years. 

The  inspiring  teaching  received  at  Miss 
Kirkland's  school  was  supplemented  by  two 
years  of  foreign  travel  and  study  under  the 
stimulating  guidance  of  her  aunt  and  in  the 
happy  companionship,  for  much  of  the  time,  of 
three  of  her  dearest  friends.  These  girlhood 
friendships,  strengthened  by  this  experience, 
continued  and  deepened  through  all  the  years  of 
Mrs.  McCormick's  life. 

Upon  returning  to  Chicago  her  life  as  a 
young  lady  began.  Of  those  "youthful  days" 
she  once  wrote  in  a  letter  to  a  friend:   "Auntie 


and  I  continued  to  travel  a  great  deal.  We  went 
South  every  spring,  spent  a  month  in  New  York 
every  fajl,  and  attended  the  theater  and  opera 
frequently.  Then  I  had  girls  come  to  visit  me 
each  summer  and  sometimes  in  the  winter,  and 
I  made  delightful  visits  to  them.  Auntie  was 
very  fond  of  young  people,  and  often  had  them 
at  the  house." 

At  this  time  she  was  a  rarely  beautiful  girl. 
Her  beauty  of  expression  enhanced  her  beauty 
of  form  and  color.  Her  tall,  slender  figure, 
luxuriant  blond  hair,  and  slightly  darker,  well- 
defined  eyebrows  and  brilliant  complexion  made 
her  always  a  person  who  attracted  attention,  and 
yet  she  was  so  lacking  in  self-consciousness  that 
she  never  seemed  to  see  the  looks  of  admiration 
which  followed  her  wherever  she  went. 

On  March  5,  1889,  she  was  married  to  Cyrus 
Hall  McCormick  at  the  Church  of  St.  Mary's- 
by-the-Sea,  Monterey,  California.  After  some 
weeks  in  Hawaii  and  a  summer  in  Europe,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  McCormick  purchased  the  Stickney 
house  on  Huron  Street,  where  they  established 
their  home.  Then  followed  sixteen  happy  years 
unclouded  by  any  deep  sorrow.  She  was  her 
husband's  comrade  and  counsellor,  and  shared 
his  confidence  in  the  many  difficult  and  absorbing 


problems  that  faced  him  In  the  development  of  a 
great  industry.  She  was  a  devoted  mother  to 
their  three  children,  Cyrus,  Elizabeth,  and 
Gordon,  the  leading  spirit  and  gay  companion 
in  all  their  games  and  parties,  their  wise  adviser 
when   problems    arose,    their   confidante   when 

troubles  came. 

There  was  a  constant  and  insistent  demand 
from  the  outside  world  that  she  should  give 
more  of  her  time  to  social  and  civic  affairs,  but 
Mrs.  McCormick  wisely  devoted  the  larger  share 
of  her  energies  to  that  which  is  in  the  end  most 
precious  both  to  the  individual  and  to  society. 
Her  ideals  of  a  home  were  expressed  in  tangible 
form  not  only  in  the  house  in  Chicago,  with  its 
paintings,  its  tapestries,  and  its  atmosphere  of 
charm  and  distinction,  but  more  especially  in 
the  beautiful  country  place  of  "Walden,"  in 
Lake  Forest.  From  the  time  the  family  first 
lived  there  in  1896,  it  began  to  reflect  her  spirit. 
Her  own  nature  was  simple  and  direct,  and  her 
love  of  beauty  was  balanced  by  a  very  sane  tem- 
perament. Not  wishing  to  distort  or  limit  any 
beautiful  line  in  nature,  she  made  it  her  con- 
stant study  to  emphasize  simplicity,  harmonize 
colors,  balance  light  and  shade,  and  give  its 
true  value  to  each  rich  gift  of  nature.     Means 


were  found  to  multiply  wild  flowers  in  the 
woods  and  on  the  sides  of  the  deep  ravines, 
down  which  winding  paths  were  traced;  wide 
vistas  were  cut,  and  there  was  never  any  hes- 
itation to  sacrifice  a  tree  if  thereby  a  greater 
beauty  could  be  attained.  Stiff  or  formal  plant- 
ing was  avoided,  and  the  wide  lawns  suggested 
her  own  gracious  and  generous  personality.  The 
calm  and  thoughtful  elements  of  her  character 
were  symbolized  in  the  majesty  and  beauty  of 
the  woodlands  she  loved  so  well.  Opposed  to 
anything  pretentious  or  spectacular,  Mrs. 
McCormick  achieved  in  Walden  a  home  that 
breathed  a  spirit  of  hospitality  and  friendship. 
All  who  went  there  felt  a  sense  of  happiness  and 
content,  for  she  had  already  learned  one  of  the 
great  secrets  of  life,  and  knew  that  to  have  con- 
tentment there  must  be  quiet  and  poise  and 
peace  from  within. 

It  was  the  possession  of  this  secret  that 
enabled  Mrs.  McCormick  to  bear  with  noble 
courage  the  swift  parting  from  her  beloved  and 
only  daughter,  Elizabeth,  on  January  25,  1905. 
This  poignant  but  illuminating  experience 
brought  to  her  more  clearly  the  realization  that 
death  is  not  necessarily  a  separation  but  rather 
the  revelation  of  a  larger  life  which  is  to  be  lived 


on  earth.  So  her  interests,  instead  of  narrowing 
into  the  channel  of  her  own  personal  grief,  flowed 
out  to  others  in  rich  streams  of  sympathy  and 
intelligent  helpfulness.  Her  intimate  experiences 
of  joy  and  sorrow  only  enriched  her  nature  and 
gave  her  a  larger  capacity  for  understanding  the 
joys  and  sorrows  of  humanity. 

From  this  time  on,  indeed,  Mrs.  McCormick 
became  more  and  more  an  example  of  one  who 
combinedjwith  a  deep  love  of  home  and  a  passion- 
ate devotion  to  her  own  children,  a  vision  large 
enough  to  include  the  life  of  her  community  in  all 
its  finer  phases,  as  well  as  a  comprehension  of  its 
needs.  The  appeal  of  childhood  was  the  strongest, 
perhaps,  that  came  to  her  generous  nature,  and 
soon  after  the  death  of  their  daughter,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  McCormick  began  carefully  considering 
what  memorial  should  be  made  in  her  name.  In 
1908  the  brilliantly  promising  life  of  the  young 
girl  took  expression  in  the  Elizabeth  McCormick 
Memorial  Fund.  The  terms  of  the  foundation 
are  wise  and  far-seeing.  It  is  not  a  memorial 
with  architectural  limitations  of  stone  or 
marble,  but  is  a  living  creation  which  will 
respond  t^o  the  needs  of  little  children  in  all 
generations.  Soon  after  its  inception  the  Fund 
began  to  reach  out  in  many  directions — first  in 


promoting  the  baby  tents  in  which  the  children 
of  the  crowded  tenements  received  medical 
and  nursing  care  during  the  hot  summer 
months;  then  in  establishing  the  open  air  and 
open  window  school  rooms  which  have  since 
become  a  feature  of  schools  all  over  the  country; 
and  more  recently  still  in  cultivating  the  pioneer 
field  of  nutrition  work  among  school  children. 
In  all  of  its  activities,  Mrs.  McCormick's  pains- 
taking investigations,  conscientious  judgment, 
quick  imaginative  sympathy,  and  large-hearted 
vision  were  indispensable  factors. 

This  was  the  central  theme  of  her  practical 
vision,  as  described  in  her  own  words:  "The 
cause  of  childhood  is,  or  should  be,  closely  bound 
up  with  our  civic  life.  By  his  dreams  the  child 
may  grow,  and  may  win  out  in  spite  of  faulty 
food,  inadequate  clothing,  crowded  tenements,  or 
gilded  palaces;  but  his  dreams  have  been  un- 
heeded, his  imagination  has  been  stifled,  and  his 
castles,  many  of  them,  have  fallen  to  the  ground. 
We  must  open  the  door  of  hope  to  all  children. 
The  march  of  progress  will  begin  when  the  people 
as  a  whole  —  the  nation,  the  state,  the  munici- 
pality —  recognize  their  duty  toward  the  child 
and  endeavor  to  fulfill  it." 

Her  eagerness  to  serve  the  cause  of  childhood 


also  prompted  Mrs.  McCormick  to  promote, 
finance,  and  assume  the  leadership  of  the  event- 
ful Child  Welfare  Exhibit  held  in  the  Coliseum 
in  1911.  Its  purpose  also  is  best  expressed  in  her 
own  words,  spoken  at  the  time:  "Fine  as  are 
our  agencies  seeking  to  meet  the  wants  of  chil- 
dren, this  exhibit  impresses  our  minds  with  the 
fact  that  they  are  pitiably  inadequate.  The  idea 
to  be  kept  before  the  public  is  that  the  child 
welfare  work  now  being  done  in  Chicago,  when 
set  over  against  the  tremendous  need  for  it, 
presents  such  a  disparity  that  every  person  who 
has  seen  this  exhibit  goes  away  with  a  sense  of 
humiliation,  and  not  of  complacency.  Now  that 
we  know  what  is  left  undone  for  children,  we 
cannot  stand  still;  justice  and  common  sense 
must  direct  our  energies.  What  avail  our  plans 
for  the  new  Chicago  if  we  have  forgotten  to  plan 
for  its  children?"  The  challenge  of  the  exhibit 
was  accepted;  and  a  far-reaching  impetus  was 
given  to  child  welfare  activities  not  only  in 
Chicago  but  throughout  the  country. 

Even  before  Elizabeth's  death  had  quickened 
her  interest  in  the  needs  of  little  children,  Mrs. 
McCormick  had  a  vision  of  the  needs  of  other 
unfortunate  groups  of  humanity.  In  an  address 
on  Industrial  Betterment  Work  made  before  the 


General  Federation  of  Women's  Clubs  at  Los 
Angeles  on  May  6,  1902,  the  speaker  said,  "The 
introduction  of  industrial  betterment  work  in 
one  large  manufacturing  institution  in  this 
country  was  the  result  of  the  influence  of  a 
woman,  and  she  obtained  the  idea  from  the 
Sociological  Exhibit  at  the  Paris  Exposition." 
The  woman  referred  to  was  Mrs.  McCormick, 
and  the  story  of  how  she  came  to  encourage 
this  work  is  best  told  in  her  letters,  written  at 
the  time  when  her  heart  was  first  inspired. 

**In  1897  I  chanced  to  visit  the  factory  one 
bright,  sunny  morning.  As  I  passed  through 
those  vast  rooms,  I  felt  thrilled  and  overwhelmed 
with  the  immensity  of  the  plant,  but  mingled 
with  these  thoughts  was  solicitude  for  our  grave 
responsibilities  for  the  future.  At  noon  time  I 
saw  between  one  and  two  hundred  men  eating 
their  dinners,  crowding  into  the  inadequate 
shade  cast  by  the  high  board  fence.  All  the  rest 
of  that  day  I  thought  more  of  that  picture 
than  of  the  prosperity  of  the  great  plant.  As 
the  days  went  on  there  would  come  up  before 
'  me  as  a  haunting  picture  the  memory  of  those 
men  —  I  could  feel  and  see  again  their  weary 
faces  and  the  hot  sun,  and  it  seemed  to  me  as  if 
something  would  have  to  be  done  for  the  vast 


army  in  our  employ.  Through  the  attempt 
which  Cyrus  and  my  aunt  have  made  to  intro- 
duce Domestic  Science  into  the  public  schools  of 
Chicago,  I  am  glad  to  feel  that  we  are  coming 
into  closer  touch  with  some  of  their  children; 
but  my  interest,  aroused  through  a  close  study 
of  Jacob  Riis,  has  made  me  think  more  and  more 
of  how  little  is  really  being  done  for  our  em- 
ployees. 

"Since  coming  to  Paris,  the  only  part  of  the 
Exposition  I  have  yet  seen  is  the  building 
devoted  to  social  economics.  I  have  carefully 
examined  the  exhibit  made  in  the  United  States 
department,  and  have  had  several  talks  with 
specialists  in  social  service  work;  and  now,  con- 
trary to  my  policy  of  non-interference,  I  feel  that 
I  must  venture  a  few  suggestions.  I  should  like 
to  see  an  outward  and  visible  sign  of  the  inward 
and  material  growth  which  has  taken  place  at 
our  works.  I  should  like  to  see  some  of  those 
begrimed  walls  covered  with  clinging  green  vines. 
I  do  not  know  whether  there  is  space  enough  to 
plant  any  trees,  but  I  should  like  to  see  them 
growing,  as  well  as  grass  and  flowers  and  shrub- 
bery. Then  I  should  like  one  or  two  rooms  made 
clean  and  bright  with  paint  and  pictures,  and 
provided   with   benches   and    tables   where    the 


men  could  eat  their  lunches  during  the  colder 
weather." 

It  was  not  long  after  these  suggestions  were 
made  that  welfare  work  was  begun  in  the 
Harvester  Company,  placing  it  among  the 
pioneers  in  that  branch  of  industrial  betterment. 

The  story  of  Mrs.  McCormick's  many  inter- 
ests is  a  long  one:  she  gave  time,  thought,  and 
financial  support  to  the  Young  Women's  Chris- 
tian Association,  and  in  critical  moments  stood 
stanchly  by;  she  was  a  loyal  friend  of  theWoman's 
City  Club;  she  was  an  active  memberof  the  Visit- 
ing Nurse  Association,  and  an  officer  of  Its  board 
for  many  years;  she  served  two  years  as  president 
of  the  Fortnightly;  she  was  also  for  two  terms 
president  of  the  Friday  Club;  she  believed  in  the 
cause  of  equal  suffrage  and  became  one  of  its 
strong  advocates;  she  was  an  earnest  communi- 
cant of  St.  James's  Episcopal  Church,  and  also, 
after  her  marriage,  entered  with  enthusiasm  into 
the  work  of  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church;  she 
co-operated  with  several  garden  and  horticul- 
tural societies;  she  contributed  generously  to 
clubs  representing  the  best  in  Arts  and  Letters; 
nor  did  she  neglect  those  which  responded  to  the 
purely  social  needs  of  the  community.  She  felt 
a  personal  responsibility  toward  the  McCormick 


Theological  Seminary,  and  found  frequent  oppor- 
tunities for  manifesting  her  interest  in  Princeton, 
the  Alma  Mater  of  her  husband  and  her  sons. 
To  a  life  so  full  it  would  seem  that  nothing 
more  could  be  added,  and  then  came  the  World 
War.  From  the  very  first  she  put  forth  every 
effort  to  help.  She  opened  her  house  to  those 
who  pleaded  the  cause  of  Belgium;  she  worked 
actively  for  the  relief  of  the  stricken  kingdom. 
Then  came  in  turn  France,  Italy,  Serbia.  All 
countries  and  any  work  to  alleviate  suffering 
received  from  her  a  quick,  intelligent  response. 
She  worked  untiringly  to  summon  audiences  so 
that  the  cry  for  help  should  never  go  unheard. 
Then  we  entered  the  war.  She  was  one  of  the 
first  in  Chicago  to  see  the  necessity  for  women 
to  organize  in  order  to  meet  the  demands  of  war 
service.  She  became  treasurer  of  the  Woman's 
Committee  of  the  Council  of  Defense,  Illinois 
Division.  She  pleaded  the  cause  of  war  economy 
in  public;  she  changed  her  entire  mode  of  living 
at  home  in  keeping  with  the  conservation  pro- 
gram; she  kept  two  houses  open — one  in  Chicago 
and  one  in  Rockford,  at  Camp  Grant — where 
hospitality  was  extended  to  those  needing  cheer, 
from  young  homesick  soldiers  to  international 
envoys.    Her  heart  was  so  stirred  with  patriot- 


ism  and  sympathy  that  she  scarcely  gave  a 
thought  to  her  personal  needs.  Although  her 
work  absorbed  long  days  each  week,  beginning 
at  seven  and  often  lasting  until  late  evening 
hours,  she  never  relaxed,  going  from  one  duty  or 
meeting  to  another  unceasingly,  unflinchingly. 
Multiplied  activities  quickened  her  vision;  it 
was  at  her  home  in  Lake  Forest  that  the  first 
meeting  was  held  outside  of  New  York  to  organ- 
ize the  war- work  program  of  the  Young  Women's 
Christian  Association;  it  was  the  Elizabeth 
McCormick  Memorial  Fund  that  led  in  the  work 
for  children  imder  the  Council  of  Defense  in 
Illinois. 

As  a  leader  in  war  work,  Mrs.  McCormick 
made  many  addresses.  In  these  she  constantly 
emphasized  the  need  of  united  effort,  of  sacrifice, 
and  of  devoted  patriotism:  **We  ought  to  stand 
back  of  the  boys  of  Illinois  who  have  entered  the 
service,  not  because  of  personal  interest  in  the 
one  particular  unit  to  which  our  own  boys 
belong,  but  as  one  united  body  of  women  of 
Illinois  behind  every  man  from  this  State  who 
has  gone  to  fight."  ....  "Do  not  let  us  meas- 
ure our  gifts  or  ourselves  by  the  low  standards 
of  a  pre-war  patriotism,  by  simply  giving  what 
we  do  not  need  or  can  easily  spare,  but  by  the 


exalted  standards  of  the  heroic  women  of  Europe, 
who  are  giving  of  their  treasure  in  men  and 
money  and  services  without  Hmit.  Let  us  realize 
that  we  have  work  to  do,  and  that  it  takes  both 
personal  effort  and  money  to  accomplish  it,  and 
let  us  see  to  it  that  we  contribute  generously  to 
alleviate  suffering  abroad,  as  well  as  to  carry  on 
the  defense  work  at  home."  ....  "Many  of 
us  are  pitying  ourselves  because  we  have  had  a 
husband,  a  brother,  or  a  son  leave  home  to  go 
into  military  service.  We  forget  that  this  sacri- 
fice is  for  something  so  much  bigger  than  any  of 
our  personal  affections  that  our  personalities 
sink  into  insignificance  in  comparison  to  the 
service  for  our  beloved  country.** 

When  the  armistice  was  signed,  Mrs. 
McCormick  did  not  relax  her  efforts.  As  vice- 
chairman  of  the  United  War  Work  Campaign, 
she  urged:  "Do  not  let  the  thought  of  peace 
overshadow  the  crying  needs  and  comforts  of 
those  who  have  played  such  a  big  part  in  making 
peace  possible.  The  task  of  carrying  out  the 
terms  of  the  armistice  and  seeing  that  it  is  lived 
up  to  is  a  staggering  one."  ....  "The  time 
has  come  when  we  must  live  for  an  ideal,  and  we 
have  to  prepare  our  bodies  and  souls  for  it;  and 
this  preparation  is  going  to  be  all  the  harder 


because  we  have  no  longer  the  spur  and  din  of 
the  battle  line  to  inspire  us.  We  cannot  have 
our  boys  come  back  here  and  find  us  living  and 
talking  just  as  if  there  had  never  been  a  war. 
Let  us  take  up  our  duties  and  responsibilities  and 
obligations,  and  fight  the  good  fight  before  they 
come."  ....  **We  now  have  the  greatest 
opportunity  that  any  people  has  ever  had  in  the 
history  of  the  world.  We  have  a  chance  to  work 
now,  not  in  order  that  men  may  fight,  which 
means  destruction,  but  that  men  and  women 
may  fight  for  reconstruction." 

When  presiding  at  a  luncheon  given  in  the 
interests  of  the  Young  Women's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation in  May  of  1919,  she  said:  "We  have  felt 
in  our  war  service  the  joy  of  self-forgetfulness, 
of  devotion  to  duty,  and  we  must  conserve  the 
spirit  that  has  glorified  this  war.  We  must 
realize  that  the  world  is  still  facing  problems  as 
great  and  as  difficult  as  beating  Germany.  There 
are  big  tasks  ahead  of  us  for  the  welfare  of 
humanity.  Sometimes  they  have  very  homely 
faces  and  commonplace  names:  Social  Welfare, 
Social  Justice,  Harmony  between  Capital  and 
Labor,  Good  Government  in  City,  State,  and 
Nation.  In  brief,  humanity  calls  us  to  organize 
an  army  of  militant  righteousness  for  fighting 


the  evils  of  the  world  and  promoting  the  King- 
dom of  God  which  is  within  us." 

And  so,  up  to  the  very  end  of  her  life,  her 
horizon  kept  widening;  her  eager  eyes  were  ever 
seeking  new  and  wise  ways  of  lightening  the 
heavy  burdens  of  humanity;  her  helpful  hands 
were  ever  outstretched  to  give  and  to  soothe. 
She  had  built  up  her  home  with  wifely  tenderness 
and  motherly  devotion,  and  then,  simply,  with 
no  self-consciousness,  in  answer  to  the  urging 
inspiration  of  grief,  she  had  gone  out  into  the 
larger  sphere  and  made  the  city's  children  her 
children  too.  Its  varying  needs  found  an  echo 
in  her  heart,  and  to  them  she  responded  gener- 
ously, gallantly,  as  becomes  a  great  citizen. 

Her  life,  like  that  of  her  beloved  daughter 
Elizabeth,  was  as  "a  stream  that  deepened  and 
broadened,  becoming  stronger  and  sweeter  with 
every  year  until  it  passed  into  the  infinite  ocean 
of  Divine  Love  that  fills  Eternity." 

The  inspiration  to  others  in  such  a  life  is  the 
realization  that  what  made  it  radiant  was  not  the 
number  of  things  that  were  accomplished,  not 
the  organizations  perfected  and  set  in  motion, 
but  the  unquenchable  glow  that  seemed  to 
come  from  an  inner  fire  divinely  fed — divinely 
fed  because  at  the  center  of  her  life  was  a  deep 


reverence  for  the  spiritual  truth  of  humanity, 
an  elemental  simplicity  that  enabled  her  to 
choose  beauty  and  right  instinctively,  and  a 
profound  faith  in  God. 


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